Ohio State University football coach Urban Meyer has been suspended for three games after an investigation found he mishandled domestic violence accusations against an assistant coach.
Gene Smith, the school’s athletic director, was also suspended, according to The New York Times.
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The university’s two-week investigation into how Meyer handled the allegations against the former assistant coach, Zach Smith, concluded that Meyer and Gene Smith “neither condoned nor covered up” Zack Smith’s alleged actions, the Associated Press reported.
However, the investigation report summary found that Meyer and Gene Smith did not take “sufficient management action” related to Zach Smith’s conduct “and retained an Assistant Coach who was not performing as an appropriate role model for OSU student-athletes,” according to the AP.
Smith said Meyer did not alert him to domestic abuse allegations against Zach Smith, the assistant coach, when he was hired in 2012.
According to the Times, Smith was not charged in an incident involving his then-wife Courtney Smith, which went undetected by usual background checks.
“Their handling of this matter did not exhibit the kind of leadership and high standards that we expect of our athletic director, head coach, assistant coaches and all on the football staff,” the university said in a statement obtained by the Times.
Meyer acknowledged at a news conference late Wednesday evening that he was aware of 2015 abuse allegations against Zach Smith, though he decided to fire him only after Zach Smith’s ex-wife, Courtney Smith, sought out a protection order, citing fears that her ex-husband was a threat.
Meyer said he should have known more about Zach Smith’s home life and wished he could have done more.
“I want to apologize to Buckeye Nation. I followed my heart and not my head,” Meyer said, according to the Associated Press.
Meyer had been on paid administrative leave since the beginning of August after allegations surfaced that he was aware of domestic violence accusations against assistant coach Zach Smith, the Times reported.
University President Michael Drake is expected to decide whether Meyer should be punished for his handling of the allegations against Smith.
Smith was fired on July 23.
— Updated 10:20 p.m.